AFOLU Project Development Specialist fmd

This is a technomanagerial role in the climate department at KAYA head office. The responsible colleague will be a critical link between the scientific staff in the head office and the colleagues in the offices in the countries where the landscapescale conservation and restoration projects are being developed. The ecosystems in focus are forests agricultural and grasslands. The work would involve ensuring the adherence of projects through their lifecycle to the regulations set forth by various certification standards. The Project Development Specialist will work closely with the Landscape Specialists Earth Observation Specialist and GHG Accounting Specialist. Periodic travel to project sites for monitoring and evaluation will be an integral part of this role.

Tasks

• Steer the feasibility assessments and baseline studies of forestry agriculture and grassland projects by coordinating the activities of head office climate department and country offices
• Write project concepts and project idea notes based on the inputs gathered from the colleagues in the climate department
• Ensure adherence of project development and implementation to the selected scientific forestry agriculture or grassland methodology
• Be the organisations focal point to Verified Carbon Standard Gold Standard Plan Vivo Standard and Preferred by Nature Certification and track developments there
• Steer the certification standardmandated public consultation process in the projects under development
• Support the Head of Operations in the planning and scheduling of project operations
• Steer the complete but mainly the certification standardmandated documentation process through the life cycle of the project
• Coordinate the certification standardmandated thirdparty validation and verification process in the projects under development
• Support Chief Climate Officer and the Finance Office in building project financial plans

Requirements

• Strong understanding of one or more from Verified Carbon Standard Gold Standard BioCarbon Registry Plan Vivo Standard and Preferred by Nature Certification
• Deep knowledge of multiple AFOLU methodologies under the abovementioned standards and certifications
• Over five years of experience in managing or coordinating multiteam conservation and restoration projects with the potential to show samples of work done
• Willingness to live and work in Berlin
• Willingness to commit to a fulltime (40hours) role
• Willingness to travel overseas for work especially to subSaharan Africa
• Openness to cocreating structures processes and culture at a startup while being patient through the developmental phase
• Professional references
• In addition to English fluency languages desired are French Portuguese and/or Spanish
• Education in agricultural forestry or landscape management is desirable
• Knowledge of national AFOLU regulations and policies in subSaharan African countries is a plus

Benefits

• We offer you a job with purpose through the opportunity to work for the planet and people
• You get global exposure everyday through international colleagues and intercontinental work
• You become part of an organisation in its foundational phase
• You get to experience life in Berlin

About Us

KAYA is an environmental organisation started in 2023 by purposedriven professionals with different cultural backgrounds and with several years of experience in nature conservation clean energy rural development real estate and ecommerce. KAYAs vision is to mitigate climate change by working with nature. In doing so it also aspires to support the impacted communities and societies in accessing new livelihoods and becoming more resilient. KAYAs mission is to develop multiyear landscapescale conservation and restoration projects in terrestrial ecosystems. It will bring the developed projects upon maturity to the market for payments for their ecosystem services.